Sugar cane mill



' SUGAR CANE MILL Filed June 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v l Q H a I C I R n O N M m Feb. 23,1932. R. w. SHARP SUGAR CANE MILL Filed June 9, 1925 pressing rollers of a mill to the feed side of Patented Feb. 23, 1932 Yunnan srr I ROBERT w. SHARP, or BATON Rouse, tonIsrAnA sUGAR CANE rain.

Application filed June 9,

a similar set of macerating or expressing rollers of the next succeeding mill. 1 have inimy pending .application', Serial Number 71?,680, which has matured into Patent No.

1,673,921, dated'Ju'ne 19, 1928, described such carriers or" chutes as provided at their inlet end with an upper feed plate and a" lower feed plate, either or both of which may be adjustable, said feed plates being con nectedattheir ends nearest the adjacent set of rollers with plates having scrapers or toes which contact with the surfaces of the rollers to remove the crushed cane therefromand direct it between the feed plates and'into the chute. It Will'be understood in this connection that the efficient operation Of the mill depends on the control of theiblanket of bagasse entering the intake end-of the carrler and its unhinderedpassage through the same. A I

iThe present invention relates more particularly to improvements in the manner of and means for securing the adjustment of the upper feed plate or both the upper and lower feed plates to control the blanket of bagasse passing into and through the carrier and to the automatic adjustment of the scraper'plates and their toes with relation to their respective rollers independently of the. adjustment of the feed plates. In ac cordance with my present invention the means for the adjustment of the feed plates is independent of the scraper plates and of simplified, durable and convenient'construction.

One object ofthe invention is to provide an intermediate" carrier or chute for; sugar cane mills having improved means for the adjustment of the upper and lower feed plates or of the upper plate alone if only one feed plate is madeuse of. A further object of the invention is toprovide for the automatic adjustment ofthe scrapertoes, as they wear ofi,-tow'ardandagainst their respective 1925. Serial N0. 35,95'5.

rollers, without interfering with theposition or adjustment of the feed plates "A A further object of the invention istoprovide means for protecting the joint between-the 7 outer end portions of adjustable scrapers '55 and the adjacent portions ofthe'feed plates I with which they are connected so as to prevent dust,'pieces'of bagasse or other dirt from entering the joint and so interfere with Q g the proper adjustment of the feed plates or of.

the scrapers against'therollers. 'Theseobjects are accomplishedbythe improved in-- termediate carrier or chutefor sugar-cane mills hereinafter described: and particularly pointed out in the claims. v The preferred form of illustrated in the in whichL R v A Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one end portion of the improved bagassecarrier 0 or chute, which isshown in proper relation to the rollers of a sugar-cane mill, the rollers being shown in section and partly-broken away 5 Fig. 2

the invention is accomp anymg drawings A is a detached top view of'the" upper scraper plate with'itsscraper toe attached thereto and with means for adjusting the scraper toe to the roller against which it bears; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, broken away in the middle,.taken on the line'3- 3 ofFig. 1, and 1 Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of one of-the links for supporting the upp'er endof' thej scraper plate. I

The series of sugar-cane m lls in connection with which the improved carrier or chute isusedm'ay be of any preferred construction 7 and arrangement, it being understood that the y carrier orchute of the present invention is used to convey the bagasse from the macerating rollers of one mill to a similar set of roll- I ersof the next succeeding mill; The-present A invention is concerned only with theend of the chute atthe discharge side of a pair of '9 macerating rollers, the upper roller being indicated in the drawings at 5.'and' the lower ro'llerat 6. The top and bottom wallsof the feed or intakeend of the main body-of l the chute are indicatedv at 7' and 8, respectively. Through this chute is delivered a blanket of bagassefrom the rollers and 6 to the rollers of the v and extend throughout the length of the roll- I ers, the space between them being'clos'ed at" 7 next succeeding mill.

These parts are arranged as is usual in sugarcane mill construction. I

Thedevice of the present invention for delivering the properly proportionedblanket or mass offbagasse into the int'ake end'ofIthe main body of the chute comprises a top feed plate 10 and a bottom feed plate 11. These feed plates are preferably-upwardly i-n cl'ined the ends of the plates means. of the usual side walls 12 and 13 (Fig. 3) of the carrier .orchute: The rear end'sto-fathefeedplates' 1.0 and 11 are-received between-and overlap slightly the forward ends. of the top. and bet-- tomrw-allsfl an'd'8vof themainbody of! the v The fonvv-ardiend.of the upper feedplate .10. (is curvedlupwardly at 14-and the forward end ofzthelowerlfeed plate 11 is curved-down wa-rdlyr at 15. Pivotally connectedwith. the

curvedend 1.41 o f therupper feedplaterldisa-n Iupperscraper, toe 16 having a curved recess it's; neat-edge to theunderside of: a bar-'25 provided at* its ends with the; trunnions- 26 (Fig. 2)' adapted to be journaled in the side 7 walls offthe main body portion of: the carrier or chute; The heelportion 24 0f? the lower scraper toe 18 is fastened by'meanso-Fthe bolts 27z't'o the=front edge of: a plate 281which is thesame; in. construction as: the plate 21. The plate 28v is; secured at its rear edge to theeupper side of a barr29,corresponding to theibarr25,andwprovidedat ltSrQIlClS Wltll.t11111'+ nions j our'naledfin :theside walls of therhute.

Ittwill be observed that the forward ends 30 of .theplates 21: and 28 are rounded and: are received in the: curved recesses 31 formed in tllB"'I'68,I?Sld8OfTtl18'TOIWaKClEQIIClS- or"; thefeezd platesql0; and 11': byrthe curvedsportions- 1 1 and; 15. This arrangement is parti of: the pivoita'limountingt. of the scrapentoes 16' and 18 on thefonward endssof the 'feed plates.

- Inx order that the. scraper toes 16 and-118 may: be .:held ;with;the proper-I. amount often:-

sioniagainstr their respective rollers 5 and'6', thexprojecting ends ofthezbarsfifi: and129 are oi a ban 4:7%secured:to the lower provided with the rearwardly extending arms 32 and 33, respectively, the'rear ends of which are formed as the bosses 34 bored to loosely receive the rods 35, only one of which is indicated in the drawings. The upper end of each rod 35 is provided with ahead 36 whichbears against the upper side of'the bossv 3 1 of the arm 32 in which the rod 35 is supported. The lower end of each rod 35 projects beyond the lower side of the .boss 3490f? the arm: 33 tl1'rough which the rod passes and supports a spring 37, the tension-'o f which may be adjusted by the nut 38 screwedon the lower end of the rod 35. As the scrapertoes 16 and 18 wear away the tensionof the springs 37 is increasedby turning. the nuts 38, with the .resultthat the. outer endsof' the arms 32 and 33; are drawntoward. eachother, causing the bars 25and 29 toturn. in their bearings and. so force: the; 'scra' pertoes l6 and 18 against their rollers.

Theifeed plates 10 and .llmay eachbe independently initially. positioned and adjusted as to its inclination; forthepurpose of. controlling the.

rier or. chute. during, theoperation. ofztlie particularly the upper plate t o, secure such control. is of particular importance. 7 The plates..1.0,. 11 may; also be adj usted with. relation.to theirinclination to the scraperplates 21,. 28:and scrapers or toes 16,. 18.as. said scrapers: or. toes wear downfromnse. and

must:be set, against the respective rollers :1 5and; 6. v For. these p purposesthe upper-edge of the rear. end of. the. feedlplate' 101v is: pro

videdf with abar. 40. substantially as. long: as

the p'lateiitself,.as showngin Fig. 2.. Each end. of: the. bar: 40Eiis turnedfdown. to provide abearing 41 which is loosely embraced. by thelower. endofa link 42.- The. upperIends of the. links 42 are. pivotally mounted. on .the studs. 43. (Fig. 3.) adaptedto be received in one or. another of the. holes 1 1. in the plates 45 rising. from'tlie upper edges oftheside walls,.l2;andi 13. of the body. section. offthe carrier onchute It willlbe-observed by referenceto lthatthe-lioles 44.-in.the.plates 415 arein staggeredlrelationso. that by placing the studs 43 in. different. holes the veruse. position off'therear end of'the feed plate. 10 is. correspondingly adjusted; In

practicethe centers. of the holeseat. liein horizontalplanes spaced substantially onehalf inch apart. There may be any desired number of holes'in-eachplate 45, nine being shownin the invention.-

- The rear end of the lower feed pl atejll maybe vertically adjustedfbymeans similar 7 thickness ofithe blanket} ofv bagasse to passinto-and through the carillustrated embodiment ofthe 'mill,. and. the adjustment. ofqtheseplates, 2

totliat provided for the adjustment of the upperfeed: plate 10; This means'consists edge of: the feed. plate 11. The.;ends-. ofvthe. bar? 4:? are turned down to loosely receive the upper ends of the links 48 (only one being shown) The lower end of each link 48 is pivotally mounted on a stud 49 adapted to be received in .one or the other of the holes 50 in the plate 51 depending from the bottom edges of the side walls 12 and 13 of the main body of the chute. By supporting the rear or upper ends of the feed plates 10 and 11 from the links 42 and 48 or equivalent means provision is thereby secured'for a wide range of adjustment of the plates, the purposes'of the adjustment being, as will be understood, to control the thickness of blanket of bagasse passing into the carrier and also to compensate for the wear and consequent setting of the scraper toes 16, 18 against the rollers 5, 6. r

The tightening of the nuts 38 against the springs 37 places said springs under a tension which acts to urge the scraper toes 16, 18 against the rollers 5, 6, andas the said toes wear down said nuts may, if found necessary, be further tightened against said springs to maintain said springs under adequate tension.

One of the features of the present invention is to prevent dust, pieces of bagasse and other dirt from entering the spaces between the plates 10, 21 and plates 11, 28 and clogging the joint between the'forward curved ends of the feed plates 10 and 11 and the curved recesses 17 and 19 in the scraper toes 15 and 18 in which they are received. For this purpose the guards indicated generally at 52 and 53 are provided. These guards are substantially as long as the plates 21 and 28, as shown in Fig. 2, and extend from one side wall 12 to the other side wall 13 of the main body portion of the chute. Thegnards 52 and 53 are substantially alike in construction and the corresponding parts are designatedby the same reference characters. It is therefore only necessary to describe the construc-' tion and arrangement of the upper guard 52.

The guard 52 consists of two parts or sections, the lower section 54 being in the form of a plate rising from the upper surface of the feed plate 10 and being hinged thereto at 55. The upper section of the guard 52 is provided with a goose neck curve 56 to constitute a spring, the forwardly projecting end 57 of the curved section being secured to the top surface of the bar 25 by the bolts by to. their-.rollers and therfeed plates. ltl an'd 11,are removed relatively to each: other. It will be understood that themeansi for supportingiandadjustingthe re'ar'ends ofthe feed plates 10-and 11, relativelyto: each other isonly one form-ofmeans fwhichmaybe em- .ployedI'for-this %purpose,-j. the principle Tinvolved being to' support the outer ends-of the-feed'plates-so that they may be adjusted in dependently of the adjustment of the scrapers 16, and 18 to compensate for the increased spacingzofthe scrapers due to adjusting them wl1en;worn,- the, nature of the bagasse and other conditions. e By mounting the rearends of thenpper and lower feed plates in the manner shown or by some similar arrangement,- a number of apparent advantages in feeding the bagasse from onemill to the next succeeding mill are secured The outer or rearend of the upper feed plate v 10' is only slightly affected by the movement ofthe scrapertoe; 16;;against the roller 5. Moreover this arrangement per.-

mits of a .-wide range ofv adjustment of the plates 10, 11 separately and in theirangular relation to each' eothen thereby enabling the proper control of the thickness of the blanket 1 I of bagasse and assuring thedesired feed to' the rollers of the nextsucceeding mill; A further advantage is that the pressure transmitted to the upper feed plate 10 by the bagasse accumulating between it and the bottom feed plate tends to hold the scraper too 16 against the roller 5.

' The perforated plates 45, 51 are preferably welded or 7 otherwise secured to or formed on the sides 12, 13 or other stationary rigid portions of the carrier and the cooperating links 42, 48. are preferably connected with the feed plates 10, 11, but obviouslya mere reversal of this arrangement whereby the perforated plates were connected with I the feed plates and the links with stationary portions of the carrier, would not constitute a departure from my invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. An intermediate chute for sugar-cane mills comprising, a feed plate, ascraper toe movably connected with the forward end of the feed plate and arranged to contact with the adjacent roller of the mill, and means for preventing dirt from entering. the joint between the feed plate and the scraper toe.

An intermediate chute for sugar-cane 'mills comprising, a feed plate, a scraper toe movably connected with the forward end of V the feed plate and having a part'extending rearwardly in divergent relation with the feed plate, means for adjustablyholding the feed plate against the adjacent roller of the mill, means for adjustably supporting the feed plate, and guard means for preventing dirt from entering the joint in the forward end of the feed plate and thesoraper toe-conisting. o f zvzixlate liingedftqtheiujiperrsurface of the\-feed'p1ate,f a:springrplatexconnected r with: the 'm'eans for supporting? the: scraper toeandi 2v telescopic: connection: between 1 th me i sections ofi the' guai'di means; I

7 '3. An interinediate chnteifor sugar-cane, I

V mine-having, in combination with the side Wa11=of the main bodypcrtion of the chute, an upper fedip'lat'e; a lowe-r feed plate;=nieans for adjustably supporting the rear" ends of the'fie'ed platesfrom the side walls-0f the chute; a: seraper t oe movably connected With the; forward end of the upper 'fee'd plate "and adapted to beay against the'upper ro'llerof the mill-a scralper' toe movably connected with theforward end of the lbwerfeed p late V an'd a'dapted tc bear againstthe lower roller of the- IHHLLIIIBZLIIS fomdj ustably supporting andholdingf the scraper toes against their respectively rollers; and guard means for 'preventin'g'the ingress Of'dirt into the joint between the forward end of the *fed plates and tHeseraper'tbes'.

In testimony; whereof: I 'hereuntc a'ffix my signature; n. i ROBER W SHARP- 

